SC Heerenveen produced the result of the Eredivisie season so far on Sunday, coming from 2-0 down to beat league leaders Feyenoord 5-3 in an eight-goal classic at the Abe Lenstra Stadion — with substitute Ringo Meerveld scoring a second-half hat-trick to end the Rotterdam club's unbeaten start to the campaign.
Feyenoord looked in total control early on. Anis Hadj Moussa opened the scoring on 25 minutes, finishing a move created by Nacho Ferri, and six minutes later Ferri doubled the lead from the penalty spot. At 2-0 down, with their manager booked on the touchline and Meerveld still on the bench, Heerenveen looked beaten.
The comeback began in first-half stoppage time, when Maas Willemsen pulled one back at 45+3 minutes to give the home crowd hope. Two minutes after the restart, Levi Smans levelled at 2-2 — and the Abe Lenstra Stadion believed.
Meerveld, the super-sub who broke the leaders
Introduced from the bench, Ringo Meerveld turned a thriller into his own personal showcase. The 23-year-old midfielder put Heerenveen in front for the first time on 61 minutes. Sem Steijn hauled Feyenoord level at 3-3 on 69 minutes, and for a moment the leaders looked like escaping Friesland with their unbeaten record intact.
Meerveld had other ideas. He struck again on 84 minutes to restore Heerenveen's lead, then completed his hat-trick deep in stoppage time (90+3) to seal a famous 5-3 win. You can follow how the eight goals unfolded on Total Football Analysis' live match page.
It was Feyenoord's first defeat of the Eredivisie season, ending an 11-game unbeaten run, and it came on a day when none of the title contenders could hold their nerve.
So what does it mean for the title race?
The result blew the Eredivisie title race wide open. PSV Eindhoven took full advantage later on Sunday, winning 5-2 at Cambuur behind a Sven Mijnans hat-trick to move top on 26 points — Flashscore's report confirms PSV now sit one point clear heading into the international break.
Feyenoord stay on 25 points, level with Ajax, who also slipped on Sunday — the Amsterdam club were held 2-2 at FC Twente after Wout Weghorst's stoppage-time penalty rescued a point for the hosts. Ajax's European form has been just as wild, as their 6-1 demolition of Midtjylland showed in midweek. Twente sit fourth on 24 points, AZ Alkmaar fifth on 23, and Heerenveen's famous win lifts them to sixth on 21 points.
For Feyenoord, the manner of the defeat will sting most: two goals up and cruising, then overrun by a substitute. For Heerenveen, this is a result that will be talked about in Friesland for years.
Beyond the Final Whistle verdict: this was the day the Eredivisie title race stopped being a procession. Feyenoord's aura of invincibility is gone, PSV are top, Ajax are wobbling, and a 23-year-old off the bench in Heerenveen is the reason why. Dutch football is box office again.
Was this the best Eredivisie match of the season so far — and who wins the title now? Have your say in the comments.
